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Sampler (2011.41.2)

Pictorial and verse sampler on linen ground with silk thread.

The sampler space is divided into four horizontal segments enclosed within an upper and lower border of arcaded strawberries and side borders formed by the "running wave' motif. The first horizontal segment features four bands of alphabets: Uppercase Roman followed by upper case Italic, a smaller upper case Roman, and a lower case roman, with dividing bands. An arcaded floral border separates this band from the next.

The second segment is pictorial with an elaborate center geometric cross with stylized geometric floral motifs in the corners and below the cross, marked off with vertical lines. The side sections of this segment feature, from left to right: a stylized gravevine flanked by two birds; a basket of fruit; an identical basket of fruit; and an urn with flowers flanked by the birds.

The second pictorial band has a series of trees topped by perching brown or black birds. Between the outermost and second trees on each side is an outbuilding (the left is a windmill). At the center is a five-bay, two-chimneyed house topped by the date "1816", with a fence at each side enclosing a small tree, flanked by black dogs. Above the dogs are hearts with perching birds.

The third segment is divided into three sections, with a large central section containing the maker's touchmark and a verse. The left is divided into two vertical sections separated by a brown dividing line. In the upper section is a small house with a tree and the sun; the lower section has a basket of flowers. The right segment has a monument with a stylized urn atop a plinth with an obituary inscription. Two small vases of flowers flank the urn, and four birds perch on the plinth and vases.

Provenance Narrative Maria Ann Fisher (1803-1885), the daughter of Lewis Fisher and Abigail Whiting, was born in Franklin, Massachusetts October 10, 1803. She married Stephen Sanford on October 13, 1828. The donor was the great-great granddaughter of Maria Ann Fisher. Maria who made this sampler at age thirteen also made an earlier sampler in 1811 at age nine.

A. Fisher in the inscription on the tomb refers to Maria's mother Abigail Whiting Fisher, whose gravestone in Franklin, MA confirms her death date and age cited on the sampler. HF is probably Maria's brother Harvey, 1795-96, and NF is probably her brother Nathaniel, 1791-95. The second AF would be a sister Abigail, 1797-1800. Maria was born after the deaths of all these siblings; her mother died about a month after the birth of a younger brother Walter, who lived until 1890.

This sampler is recorded in Bolton and Coe, page 157.

Relationship to other samplers from same donor: Lydia Whiting and Abigail Whiting were 2nd cousins. Maria Ann Fisher was Abigail's daughter. (See 2011.41.1 and 2011.41.3.)

The verse is an adaptation of a verse from the hymn "Beset with Snares on every Hand" by Philip Doddridge (1702-1751), an English Congregational minister and hymn writer.

Place Made United States MASSACHUSETTS Franklin Norfolk County

Signatures/Marks ABCDEFGHIKLMNOPQ ABCDEFGHIKLMNOPQRST UVWXYZ ABCDEFGHIKLMNOPQRS TUVWXYZ & abcdefghiklmnopqrstuvwxyz Maria Ann Fisher's Samplar Savior divine diffuse thy light To guide Maria's footsteps right Engage my youthful sinful heart To fix on Mary's better part To scorn the trifles of a day For joy which none can take away A. Fisher obt. Feb 25th